Blistering wooden floors: Causes, treatment, and precautions when using

Blistering wood floors are a common problem that comes from four main causes:

1. Poor product quality (HDF core does not reach compression density ≥800kg/m³)
2. Environmental factors (high air humidity 85-90%)
3. Incorrect construction process (distance between floor and wall is not enough 12mm for natural expansion)
4. Improper usage habits such as wiping the floor with a wet towel that has not been wrung out.

Handling blistering wooden floors requires applying appropriate methods for each cause.

1. When swelling due to humid environment, it is necessary to remove the baseboard, trim the edge of the floor bar 12-18mm to create expansion space.
2. For floors with slight water seepage, turn on the fan and air conditioner in dehumidifying mode to improve the condition.
3. In case of heavy flooding, the entire floor must be removed, dried and reinstalled.

Through the process of researching information from wooden floor suppliers, Kosmos warehouse knows that to prevent wooden floors from blistering, users should:

1. Open the box and leave the floor at the construction site 48 hours before installation.
2. Leave a gap of 12-18mm between the floor and the wall
3. Use T-bracket for rooms larger than 7m
4. Use curtains to block direct sunlight
5. Use only specialized wood floor cleaners during cleaning.

“The mechanical properties and durability of laminate flooring depend largely on the density of the HDF core. Our research shows that flooring needs a minimum density of 800kg/m³ to maintain dimensional stability under changing environmental conditions.” – Dr. Thomas Nilsson, Swedish Institute of Wood Technology, 2024.

4 reasons why wooden floors blister?

Blistering of wooden floors is mainly caused by 4 main reasons: product quality, environmental factors, construction process and usage process. Both natural wood floors and engineered wood floors can have this problem if not properly selected, installed and maintained.

Product quality

Poor quality or substandard wooden floors will easily deform after a short period of use. Quality industrial wooden floors will have HDF core with a compression density of ≥800kg/m³, moisture resistance, high hardness and can withstand heavy loads. High-end natural wooden floors will have an average lifespan of 50-100 years.

Environmental factors

The standard humidity of natural wood and laminate flooring is maintained at 12-15% to ensure stability. In hot and humid areas such as the North and Central of Vietnam during the wet season, the humidity can reach 85-90%. This difference causes the wooden floor to absorb moisture from the environment, causing uneven expansion, leading to blistering at the joints or floor surface.

Construction process

With over 10 years of experience in distributing wooden floors, Kosmos warehouse has found that improper construction techniques are a common cause of blistering wooden floors. Specifically, the installer installs the floor too close to the wall (distance less than 12mm), the wooden floor does not have space to expand naturally when temperature and humidity change, leading to blistering.

Use process

Improper usage and maintenance habits also cause blistering, including: wiping the floor with a wet towel that has not been wrung out, letting rainwater splash onto the floor, using inappropriate detergents during cleaning, etc., which can also cause the wooden floor to blister and reduce its quality.

How to properly handle swollen wooden floors?

According to information confirmed from reputable sources, Kosmos has learned that treating blistered wooden floors requires applying the correct method according to each specific cause.

Due to humid environment

When the wooden floor is blistering but there are no signs of direct water absorption, the main cause is due to the environmental humidity exceeding 70% for a long time. To fix it, you need to:

1. Remove the baseboard in the area of ​​the bulging floor.
2. Use a specialized tool to trim 12-18mm off the edges of the floor bars to create expansion space.
3. Reassemble the floor bars, ensuring an expansion gap of 12-18mm from the base of the wall.
4. Reinstall baseboard and skirting to complete.

According to a survey of more than 100 units specializing in flooring construction, this method successfully fixes 60% of cases of wooden floors swelling due to humid environments. Consumers should contact professional workers to ensure the quality of the project.

Due to the floor being water-logged and flooded

If the floor is only slightly soaked, you can quickly turn on the fan, turn on the air conditioner or better yet turn on the dehumidifier mode. The floor will improve the swelling significantly within a few days.

If the floor is flooded and becomes heavily swollen, we must remove all the floorboards and let them air dry naturally. The floor needs to be completely dry, then reinstall the wooden floorboards and use as normal.

5 things to note when using to avoid blistering wooden floors?

Through the process of collecting and analyzing information from reputable documents, Kosmos found that to minimize blistering in wooden floors, you need to pay attention to the following 5 things:

1. Open the box and place the floorboards at the construction site within 48 hours to help the floor adapt to the humidity and temperature of the room, limiting blistering later.
2. When installing wooden floors, it is necessary to leave a gap of 12-18mm between the floor and the wall, so that the floor has room to expand when exposed to high temperatures.
3. For large rooms with a length of more than 7m, you should use accessories such as T-shaped strips to divide areas.
4. For laminate flooring, you should only install it in interior spaces and use curtains to block direct sunlight.
5. You should use specialized cleaning agents for wooden floors to ensure that the floor is not eroded by strong chemicals and is not susceptible to blistering.

Where to buy wooden floors to ensure quality?

With over 10 years of experience in the Laminate flooring industry, Kosmos has accumulated valuable experience in selecting, importing and distributing high-quality Laminate flooring products. Understanding the market and customer needs helps Kosmos always provide suitable products.

• High-quality German imported Egger wooden floor has a compression ratio of ≥900kg/m³.
• Robina wooden flooring imported from Malaysia is termite-proof and has a 72-hour surface water lock..
• Kosmos wooden flooring is produced domestically using modern German technology..

Is German laminate flooring expensive? Egger Laminate flooring price list | High-end Laminate flooring imported from Europe.

More than 500 agents nationwide are proof of the trust of partners and customers in Kosmos. This helps customers easily access and experience the products, as well as receive dedicated support from a team of professional consultants.

Kosmos not only possesses many years of experience, a wide distribution network and a variety of quality products, but also has another important advantage: a large warehouse of 10.000m², ready to supply large quantities of materials, ensuring a stable supply, uninterrupted by external factors.

Kosmos's large warehouse of industrial Laminate flooring suppliers

Egger EHL132 wooden flooring project for meeting room

Readers can apply appropriate treatment methods for each cause of blistering, while also mastering important notes to protect wooden floors from damage. If you are in need of using wooden floors to renew your living space, please contact immediately at 0932 067 388 for detailed advice from Kosmos.